The Key to Time's Gate
by Moonyloon
Summary: A new artifact of has been discovered and recovered! It's a crystal which allows the owner to control time itself! But just as it is placed in the King's Vault in Spirit World, it's been stolen again! Will the thief be allowed to mess with the Gates of
1. Stolen Time

Author's Note: This is the first chapter of my first real FanFic! And this one I'm going to finish to the full! ( My BFF is making sure of that, along with a couple of my other friends! This may not be the most creative plot for a story, but I like it anyway. Just so you everyone nods words in " " are spoken and words in ~' '~ are being thought. I just don't want anyone mixing them up. ;)  
  
Disclaimer and Copyrights: I do not own any of the Yu Yu Hakusho characters or ideas from the show. Hoshi Komogata and The Tear of Time's Fire are copyrighted to me. Some copyrights may be added in the future.  
  
***  
  
Chapter 1 Stolen Time  
  
***  
  
It's early morning in the Reikai, a peaceful quiet hanging upon the very air about the inhabitants. But the serenity of the morn is short lived as the blaring, strident sound of an alarm, coming from within a large building, reverberates through the still atmosphere. Soon the sounds of the pattering of feet upon the ground join the shrill, continuous screeching of the alarm. Yet the scene of the crime is blocked from onlookers by a heavy fog, hanging just above the ground. First comes the sound of one pair of feet, then two, then three! Then comes the sound of claws slashing and cutting into raw flesh, with the bump of a body hitting the ground afterward.  
  
The snaky tendrils of the low flying clouds wrap themselves around any non- moving object or being, as if to choke the life out of them. The blue-gray masses cause the sounds of the feet and the heavy panting and blowing of the two life forms' breath to seem to echo in the street. Finally, the fog begins to thin out, revealing the picture, to let it play out in full view. The two runners happen to be a female fox Youkai, also known as a Fyre Fox to those having dealings with her kind, and the Spirit Detective, Yusuke.  
  
This Fyre Fox's name would be Hoshi Komogata, a young Youkai at the age of 20 but a good thief. She hasn't been seen much and it's suspected she hides out in the Ningenkai, the human world. The Youkai's fire red hair streams out behind her like some strange banner, her dark emerald eyes shimmering with the exhilaration of the chase. In one of her hands she carries a red crystal of great value and power. Her "clawed" hand clutches the artifact so tightly that the knuckles have turned white. The red fox ears that "sit" atop her head are folded back to listen to the pursuer, following the sound of his ragged breathing. A wicked giggle churns inside Hoshi and she allows it to bubble forth.  
  
The Youkai turns her head to examine this "so-called" Spirit Detective's progress on catching and arresting her. The boy is not getting too far. Hoshi's green eyes mock and taunt Yusuke onward, a smirk pulling at the corners of her lips. Yusuke in turn scowls at the thief he has been chasing. She seems to have great endurance and speed, making it difficult to keep up. His heart is beating as if it would pop out of his chest at any moment and his lungs are fit to burst. Yusuke urges his deadening limbs onward, though his footsteps are growing heavy with weariness and fatigue.  
  
***  
  
No one had expected someone to break into the King's Vault that morning! Everything was quiet and peaceful. Besides, Koenma had just locked it all up and had everything secure, with Yusuke there to watch and act like he's helping. There was not a single hairline fracture in the vault door or the security, and there was no shortage of strong guards to defend King Yama's most precious artifacts!  
  
"Yes, Yusuke! We have added a new artifact to my father's collection! It's a crystal called The Tear of Time's Fire!"  
  
The young, Toddler, ruler and Yusuke walk along and away from the protected vault, with Koenma blabbing about how his father couldn't punish him for doing his job so well. Yusuke was watching the young ruler intensely, more attentive than he would ever be in the classroom. Koenma was just about to explain what powers the crystal holds when the alarm went off and a cry can be heard from the guards. The Ruler and the Spirit Detective threw their hands to their ears as the shrill noise drummed inside their brains. They turned around sharply to see a shadowy figure running from the broken door of the King's Vault.  
  
"Yusuke! He's stealin' the crystal! Get him, Yu."  
  
But Yusuke wasn't there when Koemna turned his head. The boy was already after the demon and closing in fast, until a thick mist rolled in, blocking his view of the thief. He felt something brush by him and he's shoved to the side. Hoshi closed in on the demon thief faster than Yusuke would have and sliced him across his throat with her sharp claws. Catching The Tear of Time's Fire deftly in one hand she took off, her ears listening to her clouded surroundings and to the sound of Yusuke's footsteps.  
  
***  
  
Yusuke growls as he urges his legs to move faster, but he starts to feel as if he were walking in mud that sucks his feet and legs into the ground. If he ran anymore, he would stake anything on it that he would just crumble to the earth with fatigue. One last tactic, one last alternative! He raises his arm up, steadying it by grabbing his wrist with his other hand. Yusuke's finger begins to glow as his spirit energy is drawn into it.  
  
"Spirit Gun!"  
  
Hoshi is just beginning to tire out, though she has trained herself to endure long runs like this one. This Spirit Detective wasn't giving up so easily. The Fyre Fox's ears perk up as she hears Yusuke call out his attack and she twists her head slightly, just catching a glimpse of the blue orb of spirit energy before it slams into her side. She gasps with pain but drives on until she falls to one knee, her free hand clutching at her side. She breathes in quick, sharp breaths of air as the pain mercilessly seers through her body.  
  
Her ears are turned back again, listening to the boy's rapidly approaching footsteps. A small, evil grin comes to appear on her face as she glances ahead of her. ~'Only a little farther! You can lose this human wimp!'~ Just as the Spirit Detective is almost on top of her she takes off in a burst of new speed! In no time at all she has disappeared into the human world. Yusuke follows right after her, intent on retrieving both Youkai and crystal.  
  
Yusuke looks around at the busy street, cars whizzing by and people talking to each other and on cell phones. The noise and chaos hides any evidence the Youkai was here! All he could see were humans, buildings, streets, and cars! Nothing was out of place from earlier. Everything the same, except that it was sunnier and the clouds had rolled back to reveal a beautiful blue sky. He walks slowly along the sidewalk, trying to ease his breath.  
  
A young teenage girl steps out of a store, wearing a flowing short skirt made out of baby blue fabric and a tight yellow, short sleeved shirt with no back and thin straps criss-crossing behind her to keep the fabric together. She has a thin, strong frame and carries herself with an air of pride about her. Dark metallic blue sunglasses hide her eyes though she slides them down to bridge of her nose a pinch, looking over the lenses at Yusuke. With a smile she pushes the glasses back up while shouldering a blue denim backpack and tossing her head to rid her shoulders of long blonde, red streaked hair. ~'Sorry, Yusuke! Not today!'~ Slowly the girl walks by him, playing the part of an innocent, average teenage human perfectly.  
  
Author's Ending Notes: There you have it folks! The first chapter! R/R PLEASE!! I'll be happy if you do! ^-^ I'll be VERY happy! Helpful criticism is a wish.though I guess if you really need to put me down. ( .I guess you can just go and break my poor little heart. So read and review peoples!! :D 


	2. Three Against One

Author's Notes: This is the second chapter of my story! YAY! I bet some of you thought that this would never come, am I right? Well! Never fear! Here it is! ( There's a lot of introducing and explaining in this chapter. Some may find it boring, but.*shrugs* .it needs to be done so that the story can get going.  
  
Reikai is the Spirit World  
Ningenkai the Human World  
Makai the Demon World  
Ki is Power  
Hai is yes.  
Baka is fool  
  
Disclaimers and Copyrights: I do not own any of the Yu Yu Hakusho characters or ideas from the show. Hoshi Komogata, Kohana Ashigato, The Tear of Time's Fire, the other crystals, and all my other original characters are copyrighted to me. Water Guardian helped me with "The Tear" names. And I also have to give my thanks and some credit to my friend, Thornball (you know who you are! ;)) some credit for helping me to edit my chapters! Greatly appreciated and a great help! Some copyrights may be added in the future.  
  
***  
  
Chapter 2 Three Against One  
  
***  
  
The heat of the day hasn't risen yet, leaving the morning cool and refreshing. As the young lady and Yusuke walk in different directions she lets the wind play with her hair, allowing it to wreath about. The naïve teenager walks gracefully down the sidewalk with a slight sway in her hips, and lets out a rare, soft sigh of content. She's acting the part of a fourteen-year-old girl who goes by the name of Kohana Ashigato, and she does play the part perfectly, a dead on bull's eye! She even pulled the wool over the eyes of the one who's supposed to be one of the most powerful, "kick-ass" humans alive!  
  
With this in mind, her confidence soaring, and pushing a devilish smile off her face, Kohana walks through the City Park's gate to take the short cut home! As she passes through the iron gateway, she begins to marvel at the beauty of the park! Sure, it wasn't as exotic or as wild as the dark forests back in her home world, but they still had some nice qualities. The natural perfumes of the trees and flowers grace her nose, making her think of home again, and not the home with the white painted fence around the yard. Her other home, in Makai! The girl walks down the beaten path, enjoying the songs of the birds above her head and glancing toward the people sitting on the benches that line the path at intervals. She admires how they deal with so many calamities and hardships, yet they seem as happy as if everything was a piece of cake at teatime.  
  
After about fifteen to twenty minutes, she steps through another tall iron gateway and onto the concrete of the sidewalk. The peaceful tranquility of the park is shattered to bits as the sounds of car engines and horns can be heard. The traffic signal turns red and Kohana jogs across the street along the crossway, just in front of the vehicles. She jumps over a white fence, though she could have easily opened the gate, heading toward a white house with pale blue shutters and doors, a really quaint looking dwelling. Opening the door she's confronted by an orange tabby kitten as he rubs against her legs, purring softly.  
  
"Hello, Tappa! How's my baby boy?"  
  
Kohana detaches her fingers from around the straps of her backpack, leaning down and scooping up the petite kitten that gives her a darling little meow in answer to her question. She cuddles the little kitten close to her as she walks into the kitchen. A young woman with a green apron on is bent over, pulling out a sheet of hot chocolate chip cookies. She's forever baking treats, and it's unbelievable how the family stays so thin and healthy. The woman straightens up, placing the cookie sheet upon a hot pad before turning around to face Kohana. The woman's hair is black and short, cut to her mid-cheek, and she has slate gray eyes that are always shining. Her cheeks are creased in a bright, cheery smile.  
  
"Hana-chan! Where have you been all morning?"  
  
The young girl allows the woman to wrap her arms around her shoulders in an affectionate, motherly embrace, though the kitten in her arms is protesting with squirms and meows as he feels squished between the two. The woman laughs and releases Hana from her hug, gently scratching the kitten behind the ears. She reaches around to untie her apron, eyes showing that she's expecting an answer from her daughter.  
  
"Don't worry, Mom! I just went and grabbed a few things from the grocery store and picked up a few new shirts! I can't ever have enough nifty shirts!"  
  
The mother smiles and affectionately strokes her child's head before turning and shutting the oven door and putting the cookies on a grate to cool. At that Kohana walks through the kitchen and into the living room, walking past a young man who's indulged in a science fiction novel, engulfed in the suspense of the author's imaginative words. He has blonde hair that is cut very short, almost shaved, and his brown eyes are wide with fascination, anticipation, and disbelief as he's reading. Tappa meows at the fatherly figure but Kohana shushes him before heading upstairs. Zenko and Kumiko Ashigato are cool sort of people. Zenko is always into his science fiction and fantasy novels and his writing career while Kumiko is into her baking, knitting, painting, and her music. Yeah, they're cool and very talented, but never would understand if she told them about her real self.  
  
Kohana bounds up the steps, her pounding footsteps echoing off the off- white walls. At the top of the steps there is a hallway, a door on the way end being her parent's room, two doors on the left behind her room and a bathroom, and on the right there's a guestroom and a fun, creative room. All the doors are painted the pale blue except for her door, which is black with red letters that have her name, Kohana, painted on it. She slowly opens her door and walks inside, dropping her pack down right inside. Her room is painted black with a large painting of the planet Saturn and stars painted on the walls and ceiling. The large planet was painted so large so only half could be shown. Her other walls are decorated with posters of flames and cats. On one poster there's a kitten with a leather jacket on, flames shooting up behind him. The bolt words on the poster say, "I'm a child of hell! But just a softy in disguise!" Sitting on her dresser is flame of light fabric set atop a black base where air causes the "fire" to flutter and flicker wildly.  
  
Shutting her door and locking it, she picks up her pack and sets it on her black clad bed. The teenager pulls out many things from her pack, such as chips and a bottle of soda along with some clothing she had also bought. But the last thing she pulls from the blue denim bag is a red crystal, the symbol of an hourglass on one main face and the symbol of a key on the opposite one. Slowly Kohana runs her hands over the carvings, marveling at the way they are inscribed so precisely and so perfectly. Sitting down on her bed to view the crystal more comfortably, she draws in a sharp breath of pain.  
  
The girl's face tightens with the pain, which laces through her side and through her entire torso. Slowly she lifts the side of her shirt up to examine her side where the blast of Yusuke's Spirit Gun had slammed into it. A large, painful welt adorns her side, causing an immense amount of pain. Slowly she drops the edge of the shirt, holding the glowing crystal in her hands, bringing it a foot from her face, and staring at it with large crystal blue eyes that reflect the very light the artifact shines with.  
  
"This prize was worth the pain and effort."  
  
So this young teenage human girl, Kohana Ashigato, is really the female Fyre Fox, Hoshi Komogata. She had taken the form of a human to escape the Reikai law officials, disguising her appearance and her ki. Hoshi has been wanted for other crimes besides the stealing of the Tear of Time's Fire and so she had come to Ningenkai, taking the form of a young girl, a few months before the robbery of the King's Vault. Kohana was adopted by Kumiko and Zenko Ashigato, who didn't wish to burden their new daughter with questions about her past or cause her any strife or sorrow. So she has come to be living with the two humans, building a life of her own here in the human world while hiding.  
  
The weariness of encountering the Spirit Detective begins to take the toll on the girl, with the pain stinging her weak human body. With eyelids growing heavy and drooping, she gets to her tired feet, hiding the crystal within a small secret compartment in the base of her flickering flame. She literally falls onto her bed, wrapping her arms around her pillow and hugging it to her as she slowly begins to drift off. Before the darkness of slumber and the visions of dreams take over reality, she allows herself a small, wicked grin and a snicker. Gradually the tempo of her breathing slowing and the fatigue drives her into a peaceful sleep where she can relax and escape the troubles of the worlds.  
  
***  
  
The hot noon sun has risen into the sky, resting at its highest peak in the blue, when Yusuke gives up searching the city. He had been searching all morning for the thief, with nothing turning up. Frustration and sheer hopelessness is written all over his face and in his eyes. With his hands thrust in the pockets of his green jump suit, he walks slowly down the sidewalk, looking left and right, across the busy, car crammed street and into the store windows. The Spirit Detective can't sense the Youkai's ki anywhere! It's like she disappeared into thin air, without a trace or clue! Hoshi was gone, either having disappeared, as it seemed, his ki "readings" were screwed up by everything else, or she had changed form to hide herself. His brow furrows and his teeth clench together angrily. ~'If she did that I'll never find her!~'  
  
Finally, the Spirit Detective returns to Reikai, completely discouraged and annoyed. He throws doors of Koenma's office to reveal the toddler ruler stamping away at huge stacks of paperwork. The young ruler has a frustrated mark upon his forehead as he furiously brings the stamp up and down upon the papers, merely chucking the sheets to the side and barely casting a glance to the ogre who is frantically piling them up onto neat stacks. Yusuke blinks a few times as he watches the scene before him, coughing to get Koenma's attention. By the look on his Spirit Detective's face, the toddler could tell that the search didn't go well. He throws his chubby hands to his head, shaking it and pouting.  
  
"My dad's gonna kill me when he finds that crystal missing! How did that demon manage to get into the vault?!"  
  
Yusuke shrugs shoulders in a nonchalant manner, unsure himself but not willing to voice his uncertainty. He takes the time, while his boss is pouting and worrying, to look at the mess of jumbled papers scattering and littering the room. Koenma seems really busy today and Yusuke wonders if it's because the Tear of Time's Fire was missing. The boy mentally shrugs it off and turns his brown eyes back to the ruler.  
  
"What does this crystal actually do, Koenma?"  
  
The toddler looks up from his pouting, for the moment forgetting about his father, the paperwork, the ogre standing right next to him, and everything around him. He has a thoughtful look in his large eyes as he stares at the Detective, whom's half standing in front of and half leaning against his desk. Yusuke has a curious look in his eyes and it really might help the boy to see the urgency in the situation.  
  
"Well, the origin of 'The Tear' is a longer story. But I believe what it can do is of more importance at this very moment. Some call it the Key to Time's Gate! It's a very powerful item that can be used for great good or great evil. But for the past couple hundred years it has only been used to send many, many people to their graves in bloody massacres and wars. If you give some thought to the nickname of the crystal, you can get an idea of the power it holds. Using the crystal, the owner can control time, the very fate placed upon each of our heads! It has been known to even allow a few to travel through the winds of time, moving to the past or to the future! By doing this and by screwing with that time, they could destroy the present, changing it into something completely different from what we know!"  
  
Yusuke's brow furrows, looking down at his shoes as he listens to Koenma talk about the crystal's time controlling abilities. The grave tone in the ruler's voice is enough to cause a chill to run up the spines of any who might be listening. This really is a serious situation. Who knows if this Youkai could unlock the power? Who knows if she could be one of those who can travel through time? She could create so much havoc for the present day!  
  
The feeling as though he's being watched begins to overwhelm the Spirit Detective, and he can feel a pair of eyes burning into the top of his head. As Koenma concludes his explanation, a voice rings out confidently. Yusuke's head snaps up violently to look toward the door. A boy around his age had been leaning against the doorframe the entire time; though he has just straightened himself up and is walking further into the room with slow, cool confident steps.  
  
"It seems to me that this Youkai you're after either wants to use it for her own purposes or get a goodly price for it!"  
  
The toddler nods his head once in agreement toward the boy. The newcomer has a tall, strong build, standing with pride, an air of dignity hanging about him. The kid's mocha brown hair is cut short in the back and he has long bangs that drape over his face and into his pretty, dark lilac colored eyes. He wears a white tan T-shirt with a howling gray wolf on the front and loose fitting pants that would not hinder any of his movements, and running sneakers adorn his feet. Hanging from his belt is a katana scabbard, his one hand resting on the hilt all the time, never leaving it. The hilt is bound tightly with leather to make it easier on the boy's hands and there's a lavender colored jewel set atop the hilt. As Yusuke is looking this strange kid over, Koenma is introducing him. The Spirit Detective isn't too happy about some of the things he's told.  
  
"This is Benkai Yakuta. He's a secret Bounty Hunter, young but very good at his trade. He's also a part time Spirit Detective, you might say, for the moment. I've asked of his services and he'll be helping you on this case. I have confidence in you, but this Hoshi is a cold-blooded killer and very good at her own trade. And I thought that since he was experienced in tracking and killing all sorts of beings, that he would be a helpful ally."  
  
Benkai has a cocky look on his face when Yusuke shows his shock and anger at the news. He thinks to himself, finding this quite humorous. ~'Yes, Yusuke! You're gonna have to work with me and you're gonna have to get along with me because your boss says so!'~ The Spirit Detective, standing between the ruler of Reikai and the Bounty Hunter, was glaring icy daggers at Ben, and Benkai doesn't even think twice about returning the "favor". Suddenly the young Bounty Hunter turns, hand still on his hilt as he walks toward the door.  
  
"I'll start on the job immediately, Lord Koenma! I trust you won't be disappointed!"  
  
***  
  
Darkness hangs thick over the Makai, the black clouds above blocking out the sun, not a ray of light shining through. Forked lightning lights up the darkened sky, the air heavy with the smell of the rain that won't pour down. A crack of thunder reverberates through the stillness of the land, then a roll of thunder much like the sound of a boulder crashing headlong down a mountainside. A brisk, cold wind, uncommon for a normal hot summer day, sends chills down the spines of the Makai inhabitants. Evil hangs over the realm, lurking around every corner, every tree, every rock! It's everywhere! None dwelling upon the soil of the demons can escape it! It holds all inhabitants in an iron claw, refusing to release its captives, devouring their souls and leaving them filled with hatred, anger, greed, and the lust for spilt blood and battle! It's either kill or be killed! But that's the way most of them like it. The corrupted souls take extreme delight and pleasure in killing and destroying everything weaker than them, everything that hasn't had time to become as strong and as mighty as them!  
  
Another clap of thunder booms across the sky and a flash of forked lightning tears through it, illuminating the atmosphere and revealing a grim, ominous looking castle. The dark walls stand high and threatening as a sinister foe to all across the barren land of Makai. With walls and gates unbreakable, the fortress of the wicked stands as a symbol and a challenge. 'Come! Try and defeat me! Come and try to beat me! And die trying!' It has stood for centuries, none able to over throw the ruler.  
  
Deep within the castle's walls, down the many corridors and through the many halls and rooms, is the very heart of the building. The main hall is the largest room, four double doors on each wall, blood red in color and with gold corners and hinges tarnished with age. Hanging from the walls are tapestries depicting bloody massacres and gory battles of demons and humans alike. The high ceiling holds the tattered banners of each army defeated on the bloodstained grounds around the castle, and sitting in the exact middle of the room on a raised stone platform sits a throne of polished marble, faded royal purple and red velvet cushioning the seat, back, and arm rests. The only light provided to elucidate the darkened shadows of the room, to contrast the dark phantoms of the night, was a chandelier above the throne. The fire dances over the melted wax, piercing and branding the iniquity of the evil.  
  
Wicked laughter cuts the silence and stillness of the air in half and the smell of smoke fills the room. As if by some strange magic a shadowy phantom appears upon the throne, smoke wreathed about him. Two red eyes glow within the smoke of his body. In one of its shadowed hands is a candle with the fire burning brighter than those above. The phantom spectre stands then from the sitting position on the large, cushioned throne, starting toward one wall. Then there appears a white pedestal that could not be seen without the aid of the bright candle. It was creased up the pillar of it and the flat top's edges curl under. Then the most peculiar thing is seen. Hanging in the air within a blue light is a crystal, a beautiful blue crystal with symbols on the two main faces. The shadowed spectre slowly walks around the room, more pedestals appearing in the light of the candle, eleven crystals. A gruff voice echoes and bounces off the stone of the walls and floor as the shadow speaks the name of each crystal he passes.  
  
"Tear of Tempest's Rage! Tear of Glitter's Purity! Tear of Phantom's Hate! Tear of Hope's Mercy! Tear of Sheol's Judgment! Tear of Heart's Courage! Tear of Charm's Illusion! Tear of Flame's Fear! Tear of Aqua's Serenity! Tear of Bleak's Sorrow! Tear of Rose's Love! Tear of Celestial's Illumination! Incense's Joy!"  
  
The spectre's voice grows louder with each name he says until he's actually yelling. The hall is filled with his voice, striking fear into the hearts and minds of servants walking by the doors. Then the voice stops as the dark figure comes to an empty pedestal and the red eyes flash brighter than before with anger. With a sweep of his hand the stand crashes to the cold stone floor. One crystal was still missing from the others! One more to bring the fourteen Crystalline Angel Tears together! The Tear of Time's Fire is all that he needs! Without righting the base for the last crystal, the shadow glides back to his throne, casting his source of light to the side with a clatter before sitting down and closing his red eyes.  
  
Smoke slowly swirls around the dark being's body and when it clears there is a young man sitting there instead of a shadow. His hair is midnight black and he wears all black robes, nothing light in color. He opens his eyes and they still glow red like fire and swirl like liquid blood with anger and rage. His last minion had failed in his attempt to steal his "Tear" and it irked him that this should have happened. If the failure had survived and returned, his death would have been slow and painful. The demon would have paid for his mistakes and failure ten-fold more than what death gave him. But it didn't surprise him too much that it was Hoshi's doing. This Fyre Fox had been a problem in the past, a big problem. None of his own demon fighters would be enough to battle the female Youkai and win. They were all dowdy fools, unable to accomplish anything in a one on one fight. So he'd hire a professional, one used to much killing and battle, and a good thief as well. The shape-shifting spectre believes he has found the right one, and now he waits for his arrival.  
  
The voice of an unknown female life form echoes off the rock of the room, a childish tinkle to it. The sounds recoiling off the stone of the room causes the voice to sound out around him. And it was a strange way this one talked. It startled him some to hear the childish form of the feminine voice, but it surprised him even more to see two golden eyes peering at him through the shadows as the owner speaks, glowing and pulsing with each breath of the female. But the blood and fire of his eyes hide his surprise and all emotion from his placid features.  
  
"Meow! Master of the Castle wants his crystal yarn ball? Meow! You know it costs you the catnip and meow mix!"  
  
There's a soft, wicked giggle that follows after the words. The speaker could see the man's brow furrow with confusion. It seemed he hadn't expected a female Youkai! This she found funny, very humorous. Someone had forgotten to mention this to him, but the absent information was no matter. She waits patiently within the dark for an answer, some sort of response.  
  
"I assume you are the Youkai I was told could help me with my little problem, hai? Step into the light here."  
  
The faint light from the candles high above drive exotic patterns across the Demon Warlord's face. As requested the female slowly slips into the dim light, basically walking in her crouch and then returning to the same position she had kept without the deep shadow. Shoki looks the Youkai over as she sits there, a slight glare in her cold yellow eyes. Her long black hair falls to the ground in her position; two small black cat ears perched atop her head and a slender, flexible tail to match the ears. The sleeves of her black kimono brush the ground as she shifts her weight to one leg. Her eyes never leave the demon sitting upon his throne, and nor would she while in his presence.  
  
"Meow! Hai! Akika is whom you sent for! And so the Kitty is here! Does the Master of the Castle want his precious yarn ball, or not? Meow?"  
  
Her black ears twitch madly as she waits for an answer, the pale palms of her hands pressing against the chill stones of the floor, sending small shocks through her fingertips and up her arms. But the answer doesn't ring through her ears as she had expected, it rings through her eyes and then into her mind as he nods and stares hard into her golden eyes with his own fierce, glowing red ones. ~'You'll be paid when you deliver, Akika! Now go!'~ A smirk spreads across his face, pulling at the corners of his lips. For the first time the Female Cat Youkai stands up, brushing her bangs from her face in a fluent movement.  
  
"Meow! Assurance is part of my trade. This kitty will have what you want! No worries for you! The mouse pest will be exterminated and your toy removed from her soiled tiny paws! Meow!"  
  
Then the Youkai disappears into the shadows without a trace or sound, not even the noise of footsteps or the gentle closing of a door. Like smoke upon the wind she was gone without a hint that she was there besides the smell of pine and dry leaves. With elbow on velvet, Shoki rests his forehead in the palm of his hand wearily. He would have that crystal even if he has to take care of the problem himself!  
  
The candles flicker in the sconces above, the supply of wick and wax growing thin. With one last spark of despair each flame goes out, leaving the room in complete darkness. Only the sound of the demon's breathing can echo across the room now, and bit by bit the breathing slows and the Lord of the Castle is asleep, weary from the day's activities and dreaming up wicked plots and plans for when the twelve crystals finally come together after hundreds times hundreds of years!  
  
***  
  
Kohana Ashigato sleeps in a peaceful state, unaware of the three setting out to destroy Hoshi and take back what she worked hard to steal. Three set out not knowing what or who they are looking for, two paired unwillingly and one working with only herself, and herself alone. It's kill or be killed, steal or have your treasure stolen. Tensions are high, stakes are raised, and death seems the only option.  
  
***  
  
Author's Ending Notes: Okay! There's the second chapter for you! Sorry if it may have bored you a bit, but I needed to introduce the characters. If you look back on the first chapter, I'm changing a few things besides Koenma's name. I changed Spirit World to Reikai since I used the names Ningenkai and Makai. I don't remember what Spirit Detective is, so if anyone knows what it is, I'd appreciate it if you'd let me now! I'm sorry if I don't get the personalities of the characters, or the way they speak 100% accurate. I'm not the creator, so getting such good ratings on that part would make me very lucky. And I don't feel like this one has run together as nicely as the last one. Maybe later on I'll be able to look at it again and fix it up, but for the moment it's staying as it is. ( 


	3. Disaster is Coming

Chapter 3  
Disaster Waiting to Happen  
  
***  
  
Author's Notes: *cries for joy* Finally! I was able to finish the 3rd Chapter! Sorry about the wait. Welcome! *pokes and prods her readers* Excited?! In suspense maybe?! Well.I have one solution.READ THE CHAPTER! MUAHAHAHAHA!! It may be a bit choppy, mostly in the ending section/part.  
But it's because I wrote this over a long time period during different  
levels of inspiration and creativity. I hope you can enjoy it anyway!  
R/R!  
  
Disclaimers and Copyrights: I do not own any of the Yu Yu Hakusho  
characters or ideas from the show. Hoshi Komogata, Kohana Ashigato, The  
Tear of Time's Fire, the other crystals, and all my other original characters are copyrighted to me. Any attacks that are of my own creation are copyrighted to me. Some ideas I've taken from the show and have been  
altered a bit. Some copyrights may be added in the future.  
  
***  
  
A long time ago, before much of the universe had been completely intact, fourteen beautiful angels poured their own tears, power, and notions into fourteen, powerful crystals. With each tear added to the crystal was what  
the angel was feeling as she created the beautiful item. Each holds an ability that can be used by the one who masters it, and the clue to this  
lies within the two markings on both main faces of the crystal. These crystalline tears, when brought together, can form a force powerful enough  
to rip the universe to pieces at the whim of their master.  
  
The Tear of Tempest's Rage is the crystal of Weather, Glitter's Purity is of Light, Phantom's Hate is Dark, Hope's Mercy is Life, Sheol's Judgment is Death, Charm's Illusion is Psychic, Flame's Fear is Fire, Aqua's Serenity  
is Water, Bleak's Sorrow is Ice, Rose's Love is Earth, and Celestial's Illumination is Stars and Planets. Heart's Courage is of Spirit, allowing  
the owner to take control of one's soul and mind, while Incense's Joy  
allows the owner to control another's body though the mind and soul are still free. As for the Tear of Time's Fire, it is the master crystal and  
the one that gives its lord the Key to Time's Gates.  
  
At one time they were kept under the control and careful watch of one they call the Magic Master. He had been considered the most successful Crystal  
Lord and also was feared for the power he used keeping the crystalline tears out of the hands of the wicked. Somehow, by a power unexplainable, he was slain and the crystals stolen from him. At first everyone knew who  
had the fourteen Power Crystals, but eventually all were lost and  
supposedly forgotten. Once in awhile there would be a story of someone using something they believed to be a 'Tear', but those stories never got  
far.  
  
For many years the crystals were hiding, at rest in their separate locations until Shoki collected them and took them to his castle in Makai. But one he had unwisely forgotten and left behind; The Tear of Time's Fire.  
But Time's Fire wasn't left unguarded for long, as one who's faith and  
loyalty is to Reikai found it. He brought it to Lord Koenma who flourishingly placed it upon a red velvet pad in the King's Vault, and from that same place it was stolen, everyone on high watch for the thief; Hoshi  
Komogata.  
  
***  
  
Kohana's room is tranquil and still, the only noise coming from the ruffling of the thin cotton, star patterned curtains hanging in front of the open window. The sun then suddenly bursts into vivacious colors above the buildings of Tokyo, a shaft of light permeating in through the window and landing on the sleeping girl's face. With a groan she turns over so she's facing the unwavering shadows of her other wall. Just as sleep is  
about to take her, just when she's about to slip into the realm of her thoughtful dreams, there's a soft click. The familiar voice of the early  
morning Radio DJ rings out a good morning call. Without opening her  
crystal blue peepers she mutters drowsily beneath her breath.  
  
"Good morning, Eizan."  
  
Slowly Kohana sits up, the black covers falling from around her thin shoulders and laying in a folded and wrinkled pile on her lap. The orange  
tabby kitten that lay at her feet purrs softly in his kitty dreams, but refuses to wake. Stretching her stiff muscles and yawning sleepily, she throws her slender legs over the side of her bed. The carpet feels soft beneath her feet and the breeze entering her room, rippling her pajamas and  
caressesing her skin, leaves a cool, fresh feeling. As the sun's light bathes the blonde's back with warmth, she feels a soothing calm come over  
her. A good night's rest was all she had needed to recover her former  
strength, the burning and stinging sensations from her side had almost  
completely vanished.  
  
With footsteps creaking on the floor like tiny cricket bugs and with words and music of a playing song echoing off through the placid upstairs, 'Hana  
readies herself for another day in the educational facility they call a  
school. In no time flat she's dressed in her school uniform and is downstairs, her backpack chock full of her school necessities, feeling like a weight upon her slim shoulders. The schoolgirl glances up at the clock, eyes widening like saucers and she takes off out the door, slamming it shut as she jumps the three steps of the porch and running as fast as her feet  
can take her to beat the last bell.  
  
***  
  
The hot afternoon rays beam down upon the city and its inhabitants, waves of heat rising up off the blacktop of the streets. Blistering heat of the summer that is quickly closing in on the city attacks the people of Tokyo. A strange girl treads along the sidewalk, paying little or no heed to the people passing by her and having no interest in anything but the search for a certain Youkai. Only problem is, she simply can't avoid the feeling of  
the many, vigilant and accusing stares her ears and tail are receiving.  
  
Akika passes by a store window and thinks before backing up a few paces to see what's being displayed. Displayed is just what she requires to walk around in this God forsaken place, Ningen clothes. The Youkai shoves the  
door open unceremoniously, growling as the annoying bells on the door  
jingle. But as she looks at the racks and shelves of clothing, a  
torrential wave of overwhelming curiosity floods over her. She walks  
through the masses of ningen attire, selecting some articles of the  
clothing to clad her peculiar Youkai body in.  
  
Akika steps from the women's dressing room, clad in black flare jeans that has a black kitty decal on it with a red outline and a matching black T- shirt. On her feet are black sneakers and no socks, her jeans folding over the top of her shoes, and a black hat to cover up her ears. Heat doesn't  
affect her like it does fragile humans.  
  
Still clad in the merchandise, the cat demoness starts to walk out of the  
small shop. But she feels the hand of the manager descend upon her shoulder. Slowly moving her eyes so that she's looking over her shoulder without turning her head, an evil smirk appearing on her lips as he begins to explain that what she's doing is called theft. The tune coming from the speakers on the ceiling play on, making the only sound rippling through the  
department store.  
  
Akika walks out of the store and back into the heat of the hot daystar  
without a word and licking warm red liquid from her claws, leaving the lifeless form of the manager to with new air holes in either side of his throat. The blood still rushes from the open wound and onto the carpet, staining it a permanent scarlet. The scent of the Fyre Fox drifts to the youkai's waiting nostrils, the prey's odor filling her nose and directing  
her feet along. The game of predator and prey, cat and mouse, takes  
another prowling step forward, another step into the hands of shadowed  
destiny.  
  
***  
  
The last class of the day, the last five minutes of the period. And how those three hundred seconds are dragging on and on, feeling like hours of silence and anxious breathing. The steady tic toc of the clock's "seconds  
arm" is enhanced in the still air, echoing like the drip, drip of water within the deep vastness of an icy cavern's hidden domain, and beating on  
into time indefinite. Kohana's mind swirls as she drifts off into a wakeful slumber, the visions of the previous day's caper returning to her eyes and becoming real as she drifts through her thoughts. The repetitive 'ding' of the school bell becomes the blatant alarm of the King's Vault,  
sending a chilling sensation of dread to run down her spine.  
  
Luckily the feeling of a hand on her shoulder pulls her from her daydream before she can react to the alarm that rings out in her mind's ear. She turns her head swiftly up, startled and frantic blue eyes meeting with the  
soft and friendly lilac ones of a fellow classmate. Benkai Yakuta. The same boy who has been in her class ever since she came to Tokyo, the same person who always seems to be there to pick her up when she's down. ~'God, he's hot. Wait! What am I saying?! He's human!'~ His eyes ask her if she is okay and the disguised youkai springs from her seat as if a red-hot needle had poked her. 'Hana scoops her books up into her arms in an untidy  
bundle, apologizing to her fellow student.  
  
"Sorry, Benny! Can't talk! I have something's to do at home!"  
  
The frantic girl stuffs and packs her homework and junk into her bag as she pushes out the door and cutting in front of someone else in her hurry to get out of the room and away from the boy. Kohana doesn't like, or trust, the humanly feelings that surface when she's around that mortal human. She  
always stumbles over her words and makes herself a complete idiot.  
Unbeknownst to her, she just came face to face with an enemy of her demoness self, Hoshi. And Benkai Yakuta, the Bounty Hunter for Hire, was oblivious to the fact that Kohana was his target in her camouflaged, "hide  
away body". ~"Geez. . .What's her problem? She was in a hurry to get  
away. And did she have to call me Benny?"~  
  
Kohana fights the waves of students flooding the hallways, getting pushed and knocked about most of the time like she wasn't even there. At times  
she'd be swept in the completely opposite direction of her desired  
destination. Through sheer determination and some force, she finally manages to arrive at the large doors. She runs down the steps, stumbling over the last few, and begins home at a hurried pace. The human girl, the disguised female youkai, is eager to put as much distance between Benkai  
and herself as possible. It's for the better not to get involved with these more fragile and co-dependant beings. For Hoshi, and thus her human self, she has more powerful people to worry about; like Yusuke Urameshi, a  
Spiritual Guardian of the earth, and Shoki, the Demon Lord.  
  
As the blonde reaches the latter park gate, she becomes aware of a  
plaintive cry of a cat, the little voice coming from her right. Tall grass, that appears to have been left for weeks, says and the stalks soon part for an ebony kitten to sluggishly pad out from between them. The kind mortal soul forced upon Hoshi when she transforms into the weaker Kohana doesn't allow her to pass the baby up. Squatting down, the student holds  
her hand out pleadingly, rubbing her fingers together and making a soft  
sissing noise to gain its attention. Its dull yellow eyes watch her cautiously, taking in every motion and baking up with a low, frail growl.  
  
Persistence and patience pay off for 'Hana and she is soon treading carefully with the petite feline in her protective arms. She's too engaged  
in contemplating a name for the kitten and making sure nothing she does will cause the small animal to start and become afraid to notice its cloudy yellow eyes become twin pools of luminescent light for a mere moment. As the young girl strokes her new friend's fluffy velvet, slightly dusty fur, her face beams with a smile of delight. Gently she lifts the babe into the  
air, her hands tucked beneath its forelegs, and rubs her nose tenderly  
against the tiny, damp rosy one.  
  
"Let us call you Baba! Such a sweet name, don't you think, Kitty-Chan?  
Wait 'till Mom sees you!"  
  
The kitten just blinks large wide eyes and then answers with a pleased 'meow'. By this time the pair are at the front door of 'Hana's abode and she tickles Baba's chubby belly before rotating the brash doorknob, pushing in the door, and entering. Kohana closes the door behind her, calling for  
her mother.  
  
That night, while the youkai schoolgirl sleeps with a kitten at her head  
and on lying precariously at her feet, Benkai is sitting and doing his  
homework by flashlight. But something weighs heavier on his mind than these algebraic equations and deep-sea creatures. The boy's mind delves deeply into the mystery of his pretty peer, Kohana Ashigato. The peculiar  
gal had just appeared on year in the hallway, slipping in through the bottom story window. And she had tagged along with him all day, as if she were gathering data on him for some experiment. It had freaked him out and put him on the edge, but she never gave him the creeps and chills that she  
had today.  
  
Since the day Benkai had met Kohana she had seemed normal. Maybe a little strange and a wee bit more out of this world, but that just furthered her interesting qualities. However, she never gave off such evil vibes before! And he sensed energy, possibly spiritual energy, emanating from her being. All in all 'Hana had intimidated him, scared him even. ~'Could she be. .? Nah! She's too.just too.great. ..'~ The male student, and secret Hunter  
of Spirits, drifts off into wistful thinking after that little bit of sentiment. As if on cue his source of light flickers, grows dim, and goes out. Without the light to keep him awake and focused on anything else but dreaming, he falls to sleep half curled around a jumble of school books, study papers, and papers scribbled with numbers, words, and formulas. The  
corner of a photograph sticks out from amid the learning and practice  
materials, showing Kohana looking beautiful for a quick snapshot.  
  
***  
  
Author's Ending Notes: There you have it! The 3rd Chapter! Let me give you a bit of an explanation about the crystal names. Let's take The Tear of Time's Fire for instance. Time would be the Angel's name (which usually has something to do with what kind of Crystal it is. Tempest/Weather for  
example) and Fire (of spirit and zeal) would be what she poured into it  
with her tear. Question for the readers! Does anyone remember what  
Yusuke's school is called, correctly spelled? If you do I'd really appreciate it if you could give me that information. Thanks! Nice little touch for the ending sentence, huh? *giggles and hugs Benkai and Kohana, then avoids Zena who's basically Ben's Cowboy Bebop Sweetheart.* AHH! R/R  
please! *puppy dog eyes* 


End file.
